Title: Almost Human

Author: Robert Bloch

Date of First Publication: July 1943

Place of Publication: Fantastic Adventures Magazine

Type: Short Story

Characters: No Character

Themes: ANDROID; MAD SCIENTIST/MONSTER; POSTHUMAN; SYMPATHETIC MONSTER

Critical Summary: “Almost Human” is a short story about a professor who creates a robot and raises him in a secret nursery hidden from the world. He fears the world is not ready for his invention; surely, they will call him mad. So the professor hides the robot, whom he calls Junior, sharing him only with a woman named Lola, who comes to stand in as Junior’s mother. Lola, however, spills the secret to her boyfriend, Duke, who sees a money-making opportunity and plans to kidnap the robot. Duke locks up the professor and sets about brainwashing Junior, claiming to be his only friend and teaching the robot about guns and murder. Finally, he convinces Junior to kill the professor. Duke takes Lola into hiding and begins sending Junior out to commit theft and murder, having convinced the robot there is nothing wrong with his actions. Lola, who has been suspicious of Junior from the beginning, grows increasingly afraid, despite Duke’s assurances that he has taught Junior to like her. Eventually, Duke worries that Junior’s crimes have generated too much attention, and he secures passage for him and Lola to flee to Mexico, planning to burn their building down with Junior inside before they leave. On the day of their departure, Junior asks Lola what it means to love, and if anyone could grow to love him. She lies and tells him yes. He asks if she likes him; she lies again, answering that she likes Junior but loves Duke. Junior heads downstairs and Lola goes to sleep, when she wakes to a sound in the hallway. In walks Junior with what appears to be Duke’s head. He begins to choke Lola, begging her to love him, until he kills her too. Junior resembles Frankenstein’s Creature in his child-like curiosity and his yearning for love and companionship. “Almost Human” also shares the suggestion that the created being starts as a clean slate and only turns to violent action because of what he learns from his interactions with humanity.

Administrative Notes: Giselle Castro, CSUF; Alex Goodman, CSUF (editing)